Presentation title
Presentation title
Presentation title
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Global Problems...Local Solutions<br />
WWF’s work on Energy and Water<br />
Security in India<br />
Sejal Worah
India: A Study in Contrasts<br />
Expected to become the world’s third largest<br />
economy by 2050
Energy...<br />
• Over 400 million people without access to<br />
electricity<br />
• Nearly over 800 million people rely on<br />
biomass for cooking<br />
• One of the lowest per capita energy<br />
consumptions in the world
Water...<br />
• Most river basins are over extracted and<br />
almost all rivers are polluted<br />
• 15% of India’s aquifers are in critical condition<br />
and this could go up to 60% by 2040<br />
• 15% of India’s food production depends on<br />
“mined” water
Forests<br />
• Over the last 20 years, 1.2 million ha of forest<br />
have been diverted to infrastructure projects –<br />
roads, mining, hydropower...<br />
• In the last four years alone nearly 400 sq km<br />
of forest has been “lost”
Of the G20 countries, India will be<br />
worst hit by climate change...
A transformational<br />
decade?<br />
• India needs to grow by at least 8-10% for the<br />
next 2-3 decades to lift millions out of poverty<br />
• The development imperative is not in question<br />
but inequity and access need to be addressed<br />
• Efficiency and innovation are the “low hanging<br />
fruit”<br />
• Growth without incurring massive<br />
environmental debts is key
Finding the right mix of...<br />
• Technology<br />
• Finance<br />
• Institutions<br />
• Governance<br />
• Environmental Sustainability<br />
India (and the world) has no choice but to<br />
select an alternative development pathway
The Sundarbans<br />
• The largest mangrove delta in the world (10,000<br />
sq km)<br />
• Home to 4 million people - population density of<br />
nearly 1000 people per sq km<br />
•One of the most “climate threatened” places in<br />
the region<br />
• Barely 20% have access to reliable energy<br />
• Most people depend on agriculture or natural<br />
resources for livelihoods
The<br />
Vision<br />
WWF &<br />
Bushlight
The Himalayas
Water: A Precious Resource
RM&DD, Govt of<br />
Sikkim & WWF get<br />
National Groundwater<br />
Award!
What we have learnt<br />
• It is possible to scale up local solutions – the<br />
right partners are key<br />
• Linking traditional and scientific knowledge<br />
enhances acceptance of solutions<br />
• Empowerment leads to innovation which<br />
leads to new solutions to emerging problems<br />
• Ensuring that the technology supports long<br />
term conservation of the natural resource<br />
base will lead to more sustainable solutions
Thank You
Change language